RRI.CO.ID, Yogyakarta - The Yogyakarta Province administration has ordered the closure of unlicensed childcare centers following a child abuse case at Little Aresha Daycare, marking a turning point in childcare oversight in the province.

Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X issued the directive to prioritize child safety and ensure that all institutions operate under proper legal supervision.

The administration acknowledged that the case exposed gaps in monitoring, particularly for daycares without official permits.

Yogyakarta Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, and Population Control Agency Head Erlina Hidayati Sumardi said the closures would be accompanied by summonses for daycare operators to immediately apply for permits if they wish to continue legally.

“The governor has ordered the immediate closure of unlicensed facilities and summoned their management to process permits,” Erlina said after meeting the governor, as quoted by Antara.

Beyond enforcement, the administration will conduct a comprehensive inspection of childcare institutions across the Special Region of Yogyakarta to distinguish between licensed and illegal facilities. Officials are also preparing stronger regulations, with possible gubernatorial instructions to regency and city leaders to apply child protection standards consistently.

The governor has further instructed the drafting of new standard operating procedures to address weaknesses in existing rules and improve the Child-Friendly Foster Care (TARA) standards issued by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection. “We are creating more detailed SOPs to ensure that daycare services fulfill children’s rights and provide full protection,” Erlina said. ***